Friday, January 2, 2015

REED's Kombucha - passion mango ginger

As part of my new years resolution of adding more probiotics to my diet, along with cultured veggies I have added kombucha daily as well. I became aware of this healthy drink in 2013, as a good friend of mine would make some for me. I have found yet another delicious Kombucha drink at my local co-op! Reed's passion, mango, ginger Kombucha.

You know it's fresh when the good start settles at the bottom ^_^

So I gently turn it upside down to mix it up...never shake it! Kombucha naturally carbonates so you don't want to open a bottle and experience an exploding fountain of wasted goodness!

The subtle bubbles are delightful ^_^ I really like this kind!

What is Kombucha?

Known
as the “Immortal Health Elixir” by the Chinese and originating in the
Far East around 2,000 years ago, kombucha is a beverage withtremendous health benefits.

Kombucha is a fermented beverage of black tea and cane sugar that is used as a functional food. Kombucha contains b-vitamins, enzymes, probiotics and a high concentration of acid (acetic, gluconic, and lactic), which have the following effects:

Improving Digestion

Weight Loss

Increasing Energy

Cleansing and Detoxification

Immune Support

Reduces Joint Pain

Cancer Prevention

The sugar-tea solution is fermented by bacteria and yeast and is commonly known as a “SCOBY” (symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast).You can make kombucha yourself at home or buy it for $3-5 a bottle at most health food stores and some coffee shops. An article published in the journal Food Microbiology has established that the following probiotics make up this health elixir.

Beneficial Probiotics in Kombucha

Gluconacetobacter (>85% in most sample)

Acetobacter (<2%)

Lactobacillus (up to 30% in some samples)

Zygosaccharomyces (>95%)

Ultimately,
this cocktail of good bacteria interact together in a unique way to
produce some unbelievable health benefits for those who drink it.

7 Kombucha Health Benefits

In the newest research published in the Journal of Medicinal Food 2014, researchers from the University of Latvia say the following about the health benefits of kombucha:

It
is shown that [kombucha] can efficiently act in health preservation and
recovery due to four main properties: detoxification, anti-oxidation,
energizing potencies, and promotion of boosting immunity.We agree! In fact, according to research there are 5 main health benefits of kombucha.

#1 Detoxification
– The detoxifying capacity of kombucha is immense. A perfect example
has been observed in its ability to counteract liver cell toxicity.In
one study, the liver cells being evaluated were protected from
oxidative injury and actually maintained their normal physiology, in
spite of being exposed to the toxin! According to researchers, this was
“probably due to its antioxidant activity and could be beneficial
against liver diseases, where oxidative stress is known to play a
crucial role.”

#2 Digestion
– Naturally the antioxidant prowess of this ancient tea counteracts
free radicals that create mayhem in the digestive system. However, the
greatest reason kombucha supports digestion is because of its high
levels of beneficial acid, probiotics and enzymes.

Extensive work has even been conducted to test kombucha’s ability to prevent and heal leaky gut
and stomach ulcers. No surprise to us, it was proven to be as effective
as drugs like Prilosec, which are commonly prescribed for heartburn,
GERD, and ulcers.

#3 Energy – Kombucha’s ability to
invigorate people has been credited to the formation of iron that is
released from the black tea during the fermentation process. It also
contains some caffeine and b-vitamins, which can energize the body.

Through a special process known as chelation,
the iron released helps to boost blood hemoglobin, improving oxygen
supply to tissues and stimulating the energy producing process at the
cellular level. In other words, by helping the body create more energy
(ATP), the ancient tea can help those who regularly drink stay energized
for extended periods of time.

#4 Immune Health – The
overall effect that kombucha has to modulate the immune system is best
seen in its ability to control free radicals through unbelievable
antioxidant measures.

Clinically proven to decrease oxidative stress and related immuno-suppression, a powerful antioxidant known as D-saccharic acid-1, 4-lactone
(DSL) has been discovered during the kombucha fermentation process that
is not found in black tea alone. Also, we know the probiotics found in
kombucha support the immune system.

Scientists suspect that DSL
and the Vitamin C present in kombucha are its’ main secrets in
protecting against cell damage, inflammatory diseases, tumors and
overall depression of the immune system.

#5 Joint Care – Kombucha can help heal, repair and prevent joint damage
in a number of ways. Kombucha is loaded with glucosamines, which
increase synovial hyaluronic acid production. This supports the
preservation of collagen and prevents arthritic pain. In the same way it
supports joint collagen it can also support collagen of the entire body
and reduce the appearance of wrinkles.

#6 Cancer Prevention – Kombucha has also been proven beneficial for cancer prevention and recovery. A study published in Cancer Letters found that by consuming glucaric acid found in kombucha reduced the risk of cancer in humans.

President Reagan reportedly drank kombucha daily as part of his regimen to battle stomach cancer.

#7 Weight Loss
– Data from a study in 2005 showed evidence that kombucha can improve
metabolism and limit fat accumulation. Though we’ll need to see more
studies before we can confirm these results, it makes sense that
kombucha supports weight loss since it’s high in acetic acid and
polyphenols which have in other studies been proven to increase weight
loss.

Kombucha Side Effects

Most
people experience great benefits drinking kombucha and have no negative
side effects. However there are possible interactions and side effect
symptoms to be aware, mostly in populations that already have weakened
immune systems and digestive problems:

Use caution if you have a weakened immune system-People
who have compromised immunity due to certain viruses like HIV/AIDS will
need to be careful about consuming kombucha, since there is always a
possibility that the yeast can grow harmful fungus and bacteria that can
possibly cause illness. This is especially true of homemade kombucha
where contamination is more likely to happen if it’s brewed in an
unsanitary environment.

Women who are pregnant or nursing-While
kombucha hasn’t been studied much at all in pregnant women, there is
always concern that pregnant women should not consume alcohol or
caffeine, both of which are present in kombucha in small amounts. Before
more formal research is conducted showing that it’s completely safe,
pregnant women are advised to air on the safe side and avoid kombucha.

Those who cannot tolerate even low levels of sugar, caffeine or alcohol-Kombucha
is brewed using black sea and sugar, which when fermented turn into
alcohol is very small amounts (only about 1% of kombucha is believed to
be alcohol). For people with existing diabetes, kombucha likely won’t
cause much of a problem considering it is very low in sugar (about 2
grams per 8 oz.) but it’s worth being careful about and monitoring blood
sugar levels and related symptoms. For those with digestive problems
like IBS or anxiety disorders, the low level of caffeine in kombucha is
also something to be conscious of, since caffeine can sometimes
aggravate these conditions.